Kattumannarkoil has been at the receiving end of nature’s fury for the past decade or so. If it was the tsunami that ravaged this delta in Cuddalore district in 2004, cyclone Thane devastated the area in 2011. More recently, in December last, heavy downpour in the district left behind a trail of large scale destruction in its wake. In the past few years, the lull in deluge was interspersed with long spells of drought, bringing the entire constituency to its knees.
Life in this agrarian belt revolves around the over 1,000-year-old Veeranam lake, built by the Cholas. The lake, spread over 28 square km, irrigates 45,000 acres in the delta region, which shares borders with Nagapattinam, Ariyalur and Thanjavur districts, making it a part of the rice bowl of the State. However, the farmers nurse a grouse against the administration for harvesting the water from the lake to quench the thirst of the denizens of Chennai at the expense of farming.
Vinayagamurthy, a farmers’ leader, says, “Till a few years ago, we used to cultivate three crops a season. Now, we are lucky if we can successfully harvest one. Samba cultivation has borne the brunt of natural disasters. Whoever wins from here must voice our concerns in the Assembly.” The reduction in crop cycle has resulted in joblessness among the farmers, leading to en masse migration in search of greener pastures during off-season. The answer to the problem lies in setting up agro-based industries, say farmers.
Politics in Kattumannarkoil is as volatile as the weather here. Home to a large number of Dalits, the area saw VCK emerge as a counteracting force to the PMK, which has a sizable vote-bank here. Congress’ presence in the seat is still a relic of the efforts made by Dalit leader L Ilayaperumal. Born here, Ilayaperumal infused a sense of purpose and confidence in the Dalits, going a long way in empowering them. DMK has fielded its district secretary M R K Paneer Selvam, whose father M R Krishnamurthy was instrumental in developing the Dravidian party in the face of strict opposition from a resurgent Vanniyar Sangam.
Despite being a part of an industrial district, the benefits of progress have not percolated to this region, say residents. The town lags behind on infrastructure and the condition of roads are bad. Abdul Ali, a resident of Lalpet, says, “The old bridge on Kattumannarkoil-Kumaratchi-Chidambaram was damaged in the rains a few years ago and has not been repaired. Residents have to take a circuitous route to reach Chidambaram, the nearest commercial town.” Another resident, Arul from Therkirrupu says, “The government allotted `400 crore for the construction of a new barrage across Kollidam, connecting M Adhanur in Nagapattinam district and Melkumaramangalam in Cuddalore. This barrage could be used for vehicular movement. Though the money has been earmarked, the work has not been started. If this project is completed, it would be useful for agriculture and transportation. Check-dams should be built across Kollidam to harvest rainwater, which could again turn beneficial for farming activities.”
In Search of Greener Pastures
The farmers nurse a grouse against the administration for harvesting the water from the lake to quench the thirst of the denizens of Chennai at the expense of farming. Vinayagamurthy, a farmers’ leader, says, “Till a few years ago, we used to cultivate three crops a season. Now, we are lucky if we can successfully harvest one.” The reduction in crop cycle has resulted in joblessness among the farmers, leading to en masse migration in search of greener pastures.
[[Old bridge on Kattumannarkoil-Kumaratchi-Chidambaram was damaged in the rains a few years ago. Residents have to take a circuitous route to reach Chidambaram — Abdul Ali, A resident
[[Till a few years ago, we used to cultivate three crops a season. Now, we are lucky if we can successfully harvest one — Vinayagamurthy, Farmers’ leader